PREPARATION FOR SERVICE

Restaurants not only should attract potential customers butalso should strive hard to entice them to become frequent andregular customers. This can be done in a number of ways, such asthrough the type of menu, the glamorous and attractive name of theplace or atmosphere within the food service area.The customer’s first impressions of a restaurant are the mostimportant and these are largely determined by the professionalism ofthe service staff and their preparations prior to service. These preservicepreparations are known as mise-en-place and are vital in thatthey create the right and pleasing environment by the setting andcontrolling of temperature, lighting and equipment.

The serving food and beverage to the anxiously waitingcustomer needs professional expertise. The service should follow asequence and have a plan of action based on the practices of theprofessional catering industry. The service staff should be expertperformers of certain tasks before, during and after service. Deligentand courteous service would certainly transform a satisfied customerto regular customer.